Travel new and now: RV rentals, hotel tech, Discovery travel

BETH J. HARPAZ AP Travel Editor

RV SHARING ON OUTDOORSY

Interested in renting an RV? A new website called Outdoorsy makes it easy to find and rent RVs with listings available in every state.

The model is similar to the Airbnb lodging rental site. Users can enter the location they'd like to rent in, dates, price range and trailer type to see what's available from RV owners looking to rent out their vehicles. The site at https://www.outdoorsy.co/ handles reservations and deposits, provides insurance and offers 24-hour customer service.

Renters can communicate directly with owners, and owners can list their RVs for free. While many of the listings are so new they don't have reviews or ratings, eventually users will be able to factor that information into their decisions as well.

Hotels are finding more and more ways to make your stay as much about technology as it is about threadcounts.

Radisson Blu hotels have a new app, One Touch, that provides a variety of concierge and hotel services, from pre-arrival options and room service to destination information and access to running and cycling routes that start and end at the hotel.

Marriott Hotels offer the Mobile Requests app, which includes a chat function and a drop-down menu for commonly requested items like extra pillows and towels.

Hilton, meanwhile, is using Twitter to reach out to travelers — and not just guests of its own hotels. The Twitter feed @HiltonSuggests uses social media technology to scan for travel questions, then sends those questions to an expert in the local market — usually a member of Hilton's concierge team — to offer advice on where to eat, what to do and the like.

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DISCOVERY DESTINATIONS

The company behind Discovery Channel and Animal Planet is launching a new travel venture called Discovery Destinations.

The program showcases a handful of resorts that offer outdoor activities. The partner resorts are Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina; Shaker Village in Harrodsburg, Kentucky; House on Metolius in Camp Sherman, Oregon; and Goldmoor Inn in Galena, Illinois. Details at http://www.DiscoveryDestinations.com .

Discovery also recently launched a partnership with Princess Cruises, and is planning to open a theme park in China next year.